08 09 2020 Meet Peter

And so we begin our service today as We Gather in God's presence in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit or man, we have just begun our worship in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. So let us not speak together the words of the Apostles Creed regarding the first person of the Holy Trinity and we confess this together. I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and Earth. What does this mean? I believe that God has made me and all creatures that he has given me my body and soul eyes ears and all my members my reason and all my senses and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes food and drink house and home spouse and children land animals. And all I have is a richly and daily provides me with all that. I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protect me from all evil. All this he does only out of fatherly Divine goodness and mercy without any Merit or worthiness in me. Her oldest, it is my duty to thank and praise serve and Obey him. This is most certainly true. And those of you who might remember your confirmation classes will recognize these words as Luther's explanation of the first article of the Apostles Creed. Now, let us therefore humble ourselves before God bless our sins to him and ask his gracious forgiveness will pause for a few moments of quiet for personal confession.

And now let's confess together and pray I confess to God Almighty before the whole company of heaven. And before you my brothers and sisters that I am a sinful human being by nature and by deed I have not always put God first I have used His holy name in ways that do not honor him. I have not always been a thoughtful caretaker of his creation and have not shared his Bounty with others at all times. I have been heedless in word and deed and have not always kept my thoughts words and deeds pure and honorable. I have sinned in ways. I know and anyways, I do not even recognize I have wished for that which is not rightfully mine and have not put the best construction on all things and on all people. I pray God to have mercy on me to forgive me all my sins and to bring me to everlasting life for Jesus sake, man. Your brothers and sisters the almighty and merciful Lord grant you his part in his forgiveness and remission for all your sins now as a called and ordained servant of Christ and by his authority I therefore to forgive you all of your sins in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit on that thanks be to God a short of God's forgiveness. We can share his peace if only verbally with each other and say the Peace of the Lord be with you. And also with you there's a hand in the back. A piece of Lord. Okay, we can walk everything wave so we can do the wave thing. Okay, let's pray.

Almighty and most merciful god preserve us we pray from all harm and danger so that we being ready in both Body and Soul make sure fully accomplish what you want done through Jesus Christ your son our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit as one God now and forever. Amen. It's please be seated as we continue with the reading of God's word.

The Old Testament reading for the 10th Sunday after Pentecost is from jove chapter 38. The Lord said to Job where were you when I laid the foundation of the Earth tell me if you have understanding who determines measurements, surely, you know. Or who stretched the line upon it or what? Were its bases sunk. Or who laid its Cornerstone when the morning Stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Or who shot in the sea with the doors when it bursts out from the womb when I made clouds, it's Gorman and thick Darkness. It's waddling band and prescribed limits for inset bars indoors and said thus far shall you come and no farther and hear how you proud waves be stayed. Have you commanded the morning since your days began and caused the dawn to know it's a place that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth and the wicked shall be shaken out of it. It is changed like clay under the seal and its features stand out like a garment. From the wicked their light is withheld and their uplifted arm is broken. Have you entered into the Springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed to you or have you seen the gates of deep Darkness? Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth declare if you know all this this is the word of the Lord.

The epistle this morning is from Romans chapter 10. Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law that the person who does the Commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says do not say in your heart who will Ascend into heaven or who will descend into the abyss. But what does it say? The word is near you in your mouth and in your heart because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. For with the heart One Believes and is Justified and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the scripture says everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek the same Lord is Lord of all bestowing his riches on all who call on him for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed and how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard and how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent. As it is written how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news, but they have not all obeyed the gospel for Isaiah says Lord who has believed what he has heard from us. So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ This Is The Word Of The Lord.

Please rise for the reading of the Holy gospel.

The good news of Jesus for today is taken from the accounts of Saint Matthew and chapter 14 beginning of verse 22 Glory To You O Lord immediately. Jesus made a disciple get into the boat and go before him to the other side while he dismissed the crowds and after he had dismissed the crowds he went up on the mountain by himself to pray when evening came he was there alone. But the boat by this time was a long way from the land beaten by the waves for the wing that was against them and in the Fourth Watch of the night, he came to them walking on the sea when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified and they said it's a ghost And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said take heart it is I do not be afraid. Peter answered him Lord. If it is you command me to come to you on the water and so he said come. Computer got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to think he cried out Lord save me. And Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him and said to him. Oh you of little faith. Why did you doubt? When they got into the boat the wind ceased and those in the boat worshiped him and said, truly you are the Son of God. This is the gospel of the Lord. Praise to you o Christ in response to the reading of God's word. We confess together. They. Christian faith as we find it in the Apostles Creed.

I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the Virgin. Mary suffered under Pontius. Pilate was crucified died and was buried he descended into hell the third day he rose again from the dead and yes, send it into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from then she will come to judge the living and the dead I believe in the Holy Spirit the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints the Forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body and the life Everlasting. Grace mercy, peace be to each of you from God our Father through Jesus Christ his only son and our only Lord and Savior. I'm in. All right. So we're meeting the apostles this summer. And so last week we met James the less they were to James's they are among the apostles. This is James the less his day is May 1st. We know nothing about him. We actually know more about his mother than we know about him. So therefore we also met Phillip one of the Apostles his day is also May 1st. And thankfully we know some more about him in the Bible. He had more encounters with Jesus that are recorded for us and we lifted up this coming theme between James the less and Philip sacrifice, which was a common theme among Holy Apostles because just like Jesus the apostles their lives there Ministries were marked by sacrifice even to the point of giving up their lives. The only one who did not sacrifice was not sacrificed and sums of their own life. Was John but he had his own hardships to deal with as well sacrifices going to return as a theme at the end of our talk this morning. Whenever you want to meet the next Apostle and the next Apostle on the calendar is Peter. Fortunately like Paul there's a lot of material on Peter. We're not going to cover it all in one one conversation. All right. I'm just asking quite a bit of time to cover all the stuff on Peters. So we only have about 20 minutes. Don't time me so where do we start? Although? I see it's about 10 till 10 right now the date of Saint Peter. The Apostle is June 29th from May 1st to June 29th. And it just so happens to be also the date of Saint Paul. Remember we talked about the conversion of Saint Paul was January 25th or June 29th is the observance of both the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Paul. Why would we do that? Why would the church come by and Peter and Paul on one date? Well, it has to do with the early Ministries and then I guess I was there Ministries continued because after the Ascension of Jesus into heaven and then 10 days later Pentecost happened Peter in those early chapters of Acts becomes the Apostle to the Jews. Paul who was known as Saul then becomes the persecutor of Christians, but then after his conversion, he becomes the Apostle to the Gentiles. So by linking these two days these two people together, we receive kind of like the total picture of the church's mission to the world together. They embrace the church is complete mission to the to the Jewish world and to the Gentile World Theater to the Jews Paul to the Gentiles. Why June 29th? Well, this is a matter of tradition. The tradition says that Peter and Paul were both executed in Rome on the same day. But if a different year and it so happens that on June 29th in the year 258 ad I guess the early Christians knew where the bodies are Peter and Paul were so they are remains were removed from where they were buried and moved into the catacombs of Rome for safekeeping whether Christians would still worship and me to go to secretly at the persecutions rolled through the city and through the empire. Until this day of June 29th, then was observed starting a couple of decades later in the early 300 as the second most important feast in the church calendar right below Christmas. So Christmas was any other than a Sunday, of course Christmas was sort of kind of these the next big observance and right below that was the day of Peter and Paul on June 29th. What do we know about Peter? There is so much to know. And where are they going to cover just some of the highlights this morning? First of all, we should know that Pete was not born Peter. He was born Simon bar Jonah which is the Hebrew way of saying Simon son of John and there's quite a few Simon's then in the gospels at least seven of them. And then I think one or two Simon's in the book of Acts. Like James was a common name. Remember we talked about that signed and also was a very common name. There was Simon the zealot What are your possible so they were to James's as Apostles? They were to Simon's as Apostles Jesus's half-brother was a Simon. Judas Iscariot father was a Simon. There was Simon the leper and also Simon the Pharisee both of them hosted Jesus for dinner in their home. And of course at the very end, there was Simon of Cyrene who carried the cross for Jesus on his way to Mount Calvary on his way to go with him or he would suffer and die for our sins. So, I mean it seems kind of wise that Jesus then gave him another name that he called him Peter or in Greek Petros, which means rock or stone Little Rock Stone and he would very often then go by both names. Sometimes he was called Simon because the gospels or Jesus was referring to his secular life his Simon's boat. Simon's mother-in-law in there. Just this life in the world that he had was with Simon's sometimes he was called Simon because he really messed up. And so he was referred to as Simon, but then there were times when he was called Peter when he was acting out from the role of apostle that Jesus was forming him to take on. When he was acting as a real apostle that Jesus was forming in into he would then be called Peter such as for example, when he made his famous confession of Jesus being the Christ the son of the Living God which will get you in a little bit. We know that Peter was from bethsaida in Galilee that little village there on the Northern tip of the Sea of Galilee. We know that he was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee that's in fact why they were comfortable on the water and today's Gospel reading. His brother Andrew was officially with him. They were obviously both acquainted with the James and John Brothers, but we're also fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. Peter was introduced it to Jesus by Andrew Andrew way back a couple of weeks ago and it was then when Andrew brought Peter to Jesus. We have found the Messiah and you said that's when Jesus name him Peter. He also goes by cephas pathway. So Simon or Simeon, I guess you would seem to be as Hebrew name Petros feeder would be his Greek name and Seafort's would be his Aramaic name three kind of got three names. All right, see they're all the same person. We know that he was married because he had a mother-in-law. But was sick that Jesus healed, but we do not know about any children. He is always listed as the first of the Apostles in all four list of the 12th of all Twelve Apostles and He's listed first intentionally because he was always meant to be the leader.

And as the leader of the Apostles, he was quite a conundrum. He was quite an enigma.

In the gospels, his name is mentioned more than anyone else's name except for Jesus. Okay in the gospels, he speaks he is quoted more than anyone except Jesus.

And Jesus speaks to him more than he speaks to anyone else. In the gospels. Okay. So Peter has got a really prominent role among the 12. He's intentionally listed first. However, Here comes the conundrum. No one is rebuked by Jesus as often as Peter.

And no one dares to review Jesus except Peter. No one confesses Christ more boldly. What you were going to be here in a few minutes about being the Christ the son of the Living God? And then on the other hand, no one denies Christ more loudly. I swear I don't know him. He didn't use the worst swear. Most likely on that fateful night is praised by christ-like. Peter is bless that argues son of John. Flesh and Blood have not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven and then within a couple of paragraphs, no one is called Satan by Christ except Peter. Get behind me Satan you do not have in mind the things of God for things a man. So he's got these hives and he's got these long and very often these highs and lows occur within moments of each other.

At the end of this is his career. If you want to say his ministries Mission In The Garden of Gethsemane when he is about to be when he is being betrayed Peter is the one that takes out a sword and Strikes the high priest's servant and cuts off his ear. And then after that further in that Fury, she runs away with the other eleven the other 10, I guess and abandons Jesus in the garden. But then I guess he has another thought and he finds John and they followed Jesus secretly quietly for the high priest house wanting to see what happens. after denying Jesus in the house three times like Jesus said he would Peter leaves any weeps any hides with the other 10 until Easter morning? And then on Easter morning. Is a knock on the door? And the women who have been to the tomb including James the less his mother come back and they say it's empty. We seen an angel he's alive.

Peter wants to check this out. He runs to the true. McGann was John sees the grave clothes there. And leave the tune kind of scratching his head wondering what is going on. And where is this all going to lead and then that night Jesus does not knock on the door feature simply appears in the middle of the room where all 11 are locked up and he reinstates all of them including Peter he breathed on them. He says receive the Holy Spirit.

And they are once again back into the role of Apostles. But it's sometime in the next 40 days before he ascended to Heaven Jesus specifically reinstates Peter 3 times and says to him three times feed my sheep feed my Lambs. Take care of my sheep.

Cuz how many times did Jesus did Peter deny Jesus? And how many times did Jesus tell him feed my sheep?

All right. So after the Ascension of Jesus then as I mention Peter is the dominant figure in those early chapters of Acts acts 1 for 12 when the church is being born fall is a nobody saw was an enemy Peter has entered into the role that Jesus was forming him and grooming him to enter into which is the chief of the Apostles a man over the course of his lifetime without getting into all that is missionary travels took him to Rome. Why you was in prison? and when he was executed as I mentioned before However, tradition says that first he had to watch his wife being crucified.

And then it was his turn to be crucified. How many was his turn to be crucified? He has to be crucified upside down tradition sets so that he would not be crucified in the same position. as his Lord And that's why his shield. Looks like this. an upside-down cross the key is we'll talk about in a minute.

We have barely scratched the surface. So I see is like 10:05 or 3 minutes to go. We've barely scratched the surface of Peter's life and Ministry and his training and so on and so forth. So we got to ask now TimeWise. What's the takeaway? I hear you know, what do we take with us? And this is what I want to share with you that famous Encounter of Jesus and Peter. In Matthew chapter 16 verses 13 to 19 the best way to tell you the stories to read it. So when Jesus came to the region of caesarea, Philippi, like he asked his disciples who do people say the son of man is cuz they've been with him now for a couple of years, in a couple of months, maybe even a year and a half. So it's like OK Google are bugs about Jesus. There was no social media back in those days, but there was a grapevine there's always been a grapevine. So what's the word on the street? They replied some say John the Baptist other say that you are Elijah and you know, obviously come back from the dead and still others say that you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Do I have returned?

Verse 15, but what about you? Who do you say I am? The fundamental question that everybody has to answer eventually about who is Jesus to them not who do people say I am but who is Jesus to you to them? So the disciples are thinking about this and Simon Peter answered and said you are the Christ the son of the Living God. And this is where Jesus says blessed. Are you Simon son of Jonah but this was not revealed to you by man. But my Father in heaven and I tell you that you are Peter and on this rock. I will build my church and the Gates of Hell or Hades will not overcome it and I will give you the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on Earth will be loosed in heaven. So that's where we get the keys from in his shield. But the rest of the passage very often is misunderstood and it's really kind of what I want us to take away today is a lot of people to think that Jesus founded the church on Peter. This is a bad idea. Okay, especially as you get to know what kind of person Peter was. This is a bad idea. It's also not true. Thanks know. You got to do to know it's not true. It's read the Greek. Which goes like this? You are Petros Peter, which is masculine and it means stone or Little Rock. And I miss Petra. Jesus said which is feminine and it's a boulder. It's a big rock. I will build my church. K two different things are going on, but there is a word play that's going on. Yes, there is so Jesus is building the church. But he's not building at on a stone. He's building on a boulder. He's not building it on a Little Rock. He's building it on a big rock. Which is something other than Peter? What could that be?

Jesus is building the church on Peter's confession of faith of Truth. You are the Christ the son of the Living God. That's the big rock. That's the Bowser on which the church is built. So, yes, you can say that the church is built on a person but it's not built on the person of Peter is built on the person of Jesus. Jesus is the boulder. Jesus is the big rock. Jesus is the Cornerstone. Jesus is the foundation of the church and my friends. Brothers and sisters the same is true for you. The same is true for your life. The same is true for your future.

Who is Jesus to you? That is the Crux that you need to answer. Before it's too late. All kinds of opinions about Jesus. Lots of people have lots of opinions about Jesus every Christmas and every Easter they show up on TV and they show up on magazines.

And nobody's opinion matters and nobody's opinion counts. It is only one answer. That is correct. There's only one answer that counts.

Jesus is the Christ the son of the Living God. Who is Jesus to you and the flip side of that coin the flips the other question on the other side of the coin is what are you building your life on?

You can only build it on 2 things people can only build their lives in this world on to things themselves or Jesus.

Okay. Whatever form building your life on yourself. Looks like I assure you it is sand.

Building your life with Jesus.

Is the build your life and your future and your Eternal Destiny on a rock?

It took Peter quite a bit of time to learn that lesson.

My prayer am I hope? Is that you have learned that lesson also? Can you can either believe in Jesus as one of the many opinions that are floating in the world that are meaningless or you can build your or you can build your life on Jesus? Rock the son of the Living God you can either build a tan sand and all its many forms.

The water will wash away. Or you can build it on the rock. Which is Jesus Christ the son of the Living God.

God grant you

I don't want to say that God grant you to North right answer. That's that's trivial. God grant you to grasp and to believe.

distinct your life is Future. your Eternal destiny Jesus Christ the Rock son of the Living God

At this point I'd like just to remind folks of a continuing blessing of being able to support the ministry of our congregation. We would normally take an offering at this point office.